In Matthew 8:26, Jesus asks, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” That’s a good question. Sometimes fear is healthy. It can keep a child from running across a busy road. It’s the appropriate reaction to a burning building or a growling dog.

Fear itself is not a sin. But it can lead to sin. If we medicate fear with angry outbursts, sullen withdrawals, or viselike control, we exclude God from the solution. Fear may fill our world, but it doesn’t have to fill our hearts. It will always knock on the door. Just don’t invite it in for dinner. The promise of Jesus is simple. We can fear less tomorrow than we do today.